The cursed leveler

Chapter 4: New Beginnings

Riku stared at the group of hunters, their presence weighing heavily on him. Sung Jin-Woo's smirk lingered, but his eyes were sharp, analyzing every inch of Riku as though trying to uncover a hidden secret.

"So, what happens now?" Riku asked, still catching his breath.

Baek Yoon-Ho stepped forward, his towering frame casting a long shadow. "You explain how someone with barely a D-rank aura survives a B-grade dungeon solo—and manages to walk out unscathed."

"I wouldn't call this unscathed," Riku muttered, glancing at his torn clothes and bleeding arm.

Jin-Woo chuckled. "You're avoiding the question."

"I got lucky," Riku replied quickly, knowing the truth would sound unbelievable. "Found a way to separate the spirit from its core and destroyed it before it could kill me."

"Lucky, huh?" Woo Jin-Chul said, stepping closer. "Your cursed energy flared the moment you exited the gate. Whatever happened in there, it's not something a normal hunter can pull off."

Riku's cursed markings glimmered faintly on his arm, catching their attention. He immediately pulled his sleeve down, but not before Jin-Woo noticed.

"That's new," Jin-Woo said, his tone almost teasing. "You're not telling us everything, are you?"

Riku clenched his fists. He didn't trust these people yet, even if they were some of the strongest hunters in the world. "Look, I don't want trouble. I survived, and that's all that matters. Can I go now?"

Before anyone could respond, Jin-Woo raised a hand, silencing the others. "Let him go."

Baek Yoon-Ho frowned. "What? He could be hiding something dangerous!"

"Exactly," Jin-Woo replied, his voice calm but firm. "If he's hiding something, we'll know soon enough. Besides…" He turned to Riku. "People with power tend to attract attention. If you're not careful, someone else will come looking for you—and they won't be as patient as us."

Riku nodded, grateful for the reprieve. "Thanks… I guess."

As he walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling of Jin-Woo's gaze following him.

The walk home felt longer than usual. The weight of his encounters in the dungeon, combined with the hunters' questioning, left his mind racing.

The system's voice interrupted his thoughts.

[System Notification]

Warning: High-level individuals have taken an interest in you.

Proceed with caution.

"No kidding," Riku muttered.

As he neared his small apartment, he felt a flicker of cursed energy nearby. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the area.

A shadow moved.

Riku turned sharply, his hand instinctively summoning cursed energy, but the figure that emerged from the alley wasn't a cursed spirit. It was a young man with glasses, wearing a suit that seemed out of place for this part of town.

"Riku Shirogane," the man said, his tone formal.

"Who's asking?" Riku replied, keeping his guard up.

The man adjusted his glasses. "My name is Woo Jin-Chul. I'm with the Hunters Association."

Riku tensed. "I thought we were done back at the gate."

Woo Jin-Chul smiled faintly. "You may have fooled the others, but I've seen too many anomalies to let this slide. Whatever happened in that dungeon, it wasn't luck. I'd like you to come with me for a formal evaluation."

"And if I say no?"

"I wasn't asking."

Riku's cursed energy flared instinctively, but Jin-Chul remained unbothered, his eyes locked on Riku's.

"You've got potential," Jin-Chul said. "But potential without control is dangerous. If you don't want to cooperate, fine. Just don't expect us to turn a blind eye when things spiral out of control."

Riku exhaled slowly, lowering his guard. "Fine. But only this once."

Jin-Chul nodded. "Follow me."

The evaluation center was a sleek, modern building located in the heart of the city. Riku felt out of place as he followed Jin-Chul through the brightly lit corridors. They entered a room with a large circular platform in the center, surrounded by various pieces of high-tech equipment.

"Stand there," Jin-Chul instructed, motioning to the platform.

As Riku stepped onto it, a screen lit up, displaying his aura. The room filled with a soft hum as the system scanned him.

The technicians watching the process began whispering among themselves, their expressions ranging from confusion to shock.

"What's going on?" Riku asked, glancing at Jin-Chul.

The monitor displayed a chaotic swirl of cursed energy, shifting unpredictably.

"This… doesn't make sense," one of the technicians muttered. "It's unstable, but the power levels are rising. It's like his energy is evolving in real time."

Jin-Chul frowned, his suspicions confirmed. "You're not just any hunter, are you?"

Riku crossed his arms. "If you've got questions, ask them already."

Before Jin-Chul could respond, the door to the room opened. Sung Jin-Woo strolled in, his presence immediately commanding attention.

"Looks like you found something interesting," Jin-Woo said, his eyes fixed on Riku.

"What are you doing here?" Jin-Chul asked, surprised.

"Curiosity," Jin-Woo replied casually. "After all, it's not every day you see someone walk out of a B-grade dungeon with cursed energy like that."

Riku glared at him. "I didn't ask for an audience."

Jin-Woo smirked. "Relax. I'm just here to make sure you don't blow up the place. That energy of yours… it's dangerous."

The room fell silent as Jin-Woo stepped closer, his eyes narrowing.

"You're not normal," he said, his voice low. "Whatever you are, it's not like anything I've seen before."

Riku clenched his fists, the markings on his arm faintly glowing. "And what if I'm not?"

Jin-Woo grinned. "Then you'd better figure out what you are before someone else does."

To Be Continued…